The number of Marylanders filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell by nearly 500 last week. The U.S. Labor Department reports about 18-hundred-50 claims were filed in the week ending last Saturday. That’s down from the previous week’s revised total of about 23-hundred. Nationally, new claims fell by 13-thousand to 198-thousand. The state and metropolitan area unemployment rates for the month of September are due to be released on Friday.